Improvement in folping and adjustable scaffolds for windows



0.1. PALMER. FOLDING AND ADJUSTABLE SEAFFOLDS FOR WINDOWS.

No. 194,718. Patented Aug. 28,1877.

WITNE ES ATTORNEY-1 N. FETHiS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHE UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

CATHERINE I. PALMER, CHICAGOfILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT m FOLD-Incl AND ADJUSTABLE SCIAFFOLDS FOR wmoows;

Specification. forming part of Letters Patent No. 194.71 8, dated August 28, 1877; application filed July 18,1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CATHERINE; I. PALMER, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have in vented certain new and use. ful Improvements in Folding and Adjustable Window-scaffolds, of which the following is a specification:

Figure l is a perspective view, showing the device extended as in use. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section, showing the device as when applied to a window.

' The object of the present invention is to provide a compact, strong, and cheap window-scaffold that can be easily adjusted for ready use when desired, as for mending or washing windows or any like purpose, and, when not in use, may be compactly folded together to stow away; and to these ends it consists, more particularly, in such construction, combination, and arrangement of the several parts comprising said device that it is adapted to be set securely and firmly in the window, so as to be sustained and supported by means of its adjustable screws and its other devices, for holding it upon the wall and window-frame, and, also, can on occasion be readily removed from the window and folded into compact and narrow compass, all as will now be more specifically setout and explained.

1n the drawings, A denotes the frame of the scaffold. It is made of rails orside pieces a, suitably secured at the front end in braces B, and at the outer end by a rail or connectingstrip, a; but any ordinary construction will answer so long as there is made in this general way a strong guard. At the outer end of the platform, and now shown as at a, is hinged a rear guard, which is of any suitable shape and size to protect the person standing on said platform. The main part 0 of said guard is thus connected, while it has wings or side pieces C hinged at each side to its outer edges, and in general shape and size made to correspond therewith. This guard may be made close or of slats or wire, or be. of any suitable construction so long as it shall answer the conditions above-stated. It can be adapted to fold or slide upon itself, and fold down flat upon the platform when occasion may render it desirable, and held here by hasp c and eyea. To secure and J hold this guard firmly in place when set up for use, there'are provided catches a near the, outer ends of the wings C, and on the lower side, which are. adapted to engage in eyes so; cured in the side rail or edge of the platform; or slides adapted to be moved down into notches in. the rail orplatform, or any like means, will answer the ends very well.

The floor a of the platform may be made close, or its slats may be set a little apart, or it may be of rope or wire, or of any desirable construction.

At the front end of the platform the brace B extends a little beyond the rails at the sides, and at right angles to them, and this brace has secured in it the ends or feet of the standard or'vertical supplementary braces b, one on each side. At about the middle of the brace B the clinch-rod D passes through it, which rod has at this place a thread on its length, to adapt the controlling-nut d to move upon it to draw in said rod, or allow its forward end to be drawn out. The forward end is bent down at (1, so as to form a hook or finger or claw, and these ends may again be bent inwardly, so as to enable the finger or claw to be secured more surely upon the face of the wall; or this may be accomplished, in a degree, by roughening their inner faces at this point.

In the sides of the platform, about midway of its length, are provided the adjustable supports E. These can be moved up and down in slots 6, and backward or forward in said slots, and be locked in place, as desired, by nut c.

When it is desired to use my said scaffold in a window, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the guard is folded down upon the platform, the lower sash of the window is thrown up, and the guard end of the scaffold pushed out through this opening until the brace B rests on the window-ledge on the inside, when the vertical braces or standards fit upon the window-frames at the sides. The adjustable supports E will now be adapted to sustain the platform by resting upon the upper face of the sill on the outside. The hook of the clinch-rod will then be drawn by its nut tightly upon the outside of the house-wall, and thus I p Y reach the wall, where they can be locked in the scafi'old will be made secure and firm against any movement or danger of being moved when trod upon. The guard is now extended and its leaves or wings fixed in position, and, if connection between its ends and the house-wall is desired, it can be had by moving the slides c in the wing 0 till they position by a set-screw, or in any way.

In the manufacture of my device it is intended to have it well lined or protected with india-rubber, leather, or any like material, at all points where needed, and especially in those places which are likely tocome in contact with the painted wood-work or any of the parts of the window or house which could be easily marred or scarredby the rough use or handling of the scaffold.

Thus I have-presented a device which will answerwell all the needed conditions in such instances-strong, cheap, compact, easy of adaptation to position, and capable of being made secure, firm, and safe, when so placed.

Having thus described my invention, what I consider new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-

1. The adjustable window-scafiold herein described, consisting of frame A, brace B, standard b, hinged guard (l 0, adjustable supports E, and clinch-rod D, the whole combined and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The supports E, adapted to be moved horizontally or vertically, in combination with the frame A, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The clinch-rod D d 01, combined with brace B b and frame A, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I do claim the foregoing as my own I do now affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' CATHERINE I. PALMER.

Witnesses:

SIMEoN STRAUS, ELIAS GRAVETAMEB. 

